Irrigation is applying water to assure sufficient soil moisture for good plant growth. Under irrigation, soil and water compatibility is very important. The management of irrigation as performed nowadays is based on the understanding of soil/water/plant interactions so as to guarantee efficient management of the crops, soils, water supplies and irrigation systems.
Some of the parameters that are usually taken into account when managing irrigation systems are the soil texture, which is determined by the size and type of solid particles, the soil structure, which is the grouping of particles, the soil depth, which refers to the thickness of the soil materials which provide structural support, nutrients, and water for plants, as well as soil permeability that is a measure of the ability of air and water to move through the soil. Another set of parameters is the quality of water that is measured by total dissolved solids (TDS) and the sodium absorption ratio (SAR). TDS is the measure of salinity of the water and the SAR is the proportion of sodium relative to calcium and magnesium.
Another parameter that is taken into account is the topography of the filed that is being irrigated, wherein slopes are an obvious parameter that is being accounted for.
As mentioned herein before, the general practice for managing irrigation systems is to understand the interaction between the soil and the water and design accordingly the irrigation system.
Oxygen, which is one of the fundamental essences for plants growth, and its availability, however, is not taken into account when managing irrigation systems. Oxygen deficiency can occur even if the amount of water seems to be sufficient in the soil in the vicinity of the plant's root. Irrigation management without taking into account the availability of oxygen to the root of the plant is not efficient.